I am cataloging the multi-part PBS documentary _Jazz_, and I found
that I had to sit through at least seven of those short, slow-motion
PBS advertisements for sponsors. Too bad, but not too surprising.
Then after they finally got around to thanking "Viewers Like You,"
the whole thing started over again! Does anyone but me think that's
just a bit too much? We have this on DVD, and of course these ads
are set up so that they cannot be skipped over or fast-forwarded
through. I understand that these corporations sponsor PBS so that
they can get the advertising--some of them, anyway--but would they
really not give the money, or not give as much, if their ads were
not repeated at the beginning of the DVD?

Sorry for this kind of whiny post. When I first started cataloging
DVDs I thought they were great, since there was no question of
rewinding through three hours of feature film after looking at the
end credits, for instance. Lately, however, they just seem more and
more irritating. When I'm rewinding, at least I have control over
the medium!